Amid reports that France would not be sharing the source code of the Rafale fighter jet's electronic and electronic warfare systems, India is expected to ensure that the country's homegrown missiles and weapons systems can be integrated into the fighter jets it plans to procure from Dassault Aviation.
Earlier, a French media outlet had claimed that the restriction regarding the source code would limit India's ability to integrate indigenous weapons like the Astra BVRAAM or the Rudram missile without support from the OEM.
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According to a report by Hindustan Times, India will insist on the interface control document (ICD) in the government-to-government contract to procure 114 Rafale aircraft from France under the “buy and make” deal. The plan is to “hardwire” ICD into the final contract to procure the jets.
The ICD is an important technical rulebook that defines how a system and sub-systems are connected.
In February, the Defence Acquisition Council, headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA)—Rafale fighters—, the majority of which would be produced in India.
According to the HT report, the defence ministry is expected to issue the RFP or request for proposal to Dassault Aviation in May, and the contract negotiation for the procurement will begin after that.
Meanwhile, the report further said top defence ministry officials confirmed that no country offers proprietary software codes or the source codes to a third country, as these are the intellectual property rights of the OEM (original equipment manufacturer), but the Rafale deal with France remains on track.
